In response to Jeff Bilmes's comment:
I should have pointed out that my rate limit estimates of 8-10 Hz are
for isochronous sequences of uniform sounds. In real music, there is
variation in pitch, intensity, and timing. This variation often
defines slower periodicities that may function as a reference. Also,
expert musicians may well have exceptional skills in that regard.
However, the rapid production of notes is not evidence for tatum
perception; it may merely represent the filling-in of longer
intervals by rapid actions that are not individually controlled but
are part of a larger gesture.
--
Bruno H. Repp
Senior Research Scientist
Haskins Laboratories
270 Crown Street
New Haven, CT 06511-6695
Tel. (203) 865-6163, ext. 236
FAX (203) 865-8963
e-mail: repp@haskins.yale.edu